At Hearing, Military Leaders Confirm to Warren that DoD is Writing a Blank Check to Deploy Troops for Immigration Enforcement
Warren: “When DOD has been tasked with doing DHS’s job, it has cost taxpayers a lot more money.”
Warren: “I’m concerned that we’re going to see the same problem that we saw the last time: big costs and little transparency and accountability.”
Washington, D.C. – At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the SASC Subcommittee on Personnel, questioned General Gregory M. Guillot of the U.S. Air Force, Commander of the United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and North American Aerospace Defense Command, and Admiral Alvin Holsey of the U.S. Navy, Commander of the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), about the cost, readiness, morale, and national security impacts of deploying American troops to patrol the Southern border and to help detain migrants at Guantanamo Bay.
Upon taking office, President Trump ordered NORTHCOM to “seal” the southern border and directed SOUTHCOM to expand Guantanamo’s Migrant Operations Center (MOC) to a capacity of 30,000. Yet, when the Pentagon has been tasked with leading operations typically done by the Department of Homeland Security, taxpayers pay much more.
Senator Warren pointed to two examples: it costs 3 times more to deport migrants on military aircraft than civilian planes used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and has cost ICE at least 5 times more per detention bed to hold migrants at the Guantanamo naval base than at facilities in the U.S.
Admiral Holsey confirmed that the Pentagon does not have a cost estimate for these immigration operations, though DoD is supposed to consider costs before deploying troops. Admiral Holsey committed to providing an estimate to Congress as soon as possible and to inform the committee if he determines that the operations are not militarily effective.
A 2021 Government Accountability Office report found DoD cost estimates for border deployments were “unreliable” and excluded “significant costs.” Four years later, the DoD has still not implemented any of the GAO’s recommendations to make those cost estimates more accurate. General Guillot said he “assume(d)” that underestimating those costs would put future missions and readiness at risk.
Senator Warren also highlighted the potential impact of these deployments on troop morale.
“Many Texas National Guard members who deployed to the southern border have felt isolated, without purpose, and some have even committed suicide. I think it is important that we have better oversight over these plans and that we make these plans conform to the law,” said Senator Warren.
Senator Warren explained that “political stunts like this” can have serious implications for the military’s budget, readiness, and morale. The goal of this stunt appears to be to feign toughness by militarizing immigration enforcement — even if it means ballooning costs for the Pentagon and damaging readiness and morale for our servicemembers.
Transcript: Hearing “To receive testimony on the posture of United States Northern Command and United States Southern Command in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2026 and the Future Years Defense Program.”
Senate Armed Services Committee
February 13, 2025
Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, the Trump Administration is sending troops to the southern border and holding immigrants at Guantanamo — redirecting active-duty military personnel from critical missions, and costing taxpayers several times more than when DHS does the same job. That seems to be bad for national security, bad for our military families, and bad for America’s bottom line.
We’ve seen this before. When the first Trump Administration deployed troops to the border, it pegged the cost at $1 billion over 3 years. But the GAO found that the Department of Defense estimates were “not reliable” and excluded “significant costs.” DOD reports to Congress missed more than half the actual total cost for entire fiscal years. So GAO made 7 detailed recommendations for the Department of Defense to improve its cost estimates, but four years later, the Department of Defense has not executed a single one. Now, DOD estimates that this new border deployment will cost almost $1 billion over just the next 8 months, but that may be another underestimate.
General Guillot, you are overseeing the border deployment. Does underestimating the costs of an operation put future missions and future readiness at risk?
General Guillot, U.S. Air Force, Commander of the United States Northern Command: Senator, I would assume so, but I think I need to point out that NORTHCOM has not appropriated funds for the Southwest border, and we’ve never had reprogramming or pass through funding. This is all done through the Department Comptroller and the services.
Senator Warren: I appreciate that, but I’m asking the question about running past the limits and the consequences of that. Because the money has to come from somewhere and I’m concerned that we’re going to see the same problem that we saw the last time: big costs and little transparency and accountability.
When DOD has been tasked with doing DHS’s job, it has cost taxpayers a lot more money. It costs 3 times more to deport migrants on military aircraft than civilian planes that ICE often uses, and has cost ICE at least 5 times more per detention bed to hold migrants at Guantanamo naval base than at facilities in the United States.
Any time civilian authorities ask DOD for help, DOD is supposed to evaluate the request based on six criteria, including cost. But we don’t even have a cost estimate for the new Guantanamo operations.
So, Admiral Holsey, what do you expect the budgetary cost of SOUTHCOM’s Guantanamo operations will be through the end of this fiscal year?
Admiral Holsey, U.S. Navy, Commander of the United States Southern Command: Senator, we’re new into the process right now. We have assets down there to start building up a camp. It is a phased approach, so it’s not automatically going up to 30,000 –
Senator Warren: So you’re telling me you actually don’t know the cost yet?
Admiral Holsey: Not at this point, Ma’am.
Senator Warren: Not at this point. So the decision to deploy DoD personnel and assets was made without knowing the cost, which is exactly what DoD is supposed to consider in making the decision to deploy. Will you at least commit to provide that estimate to Congress as soon as you have it?
Admiral Holsey: Yes, Senator. I will work with OSD and DoD to get that to you.
Senator Warren: Alright. I will hold you to that. I’m relying on you both also to tell us if DOD blows past whatever estimates you give us. Given the potentially astronomical costs, will you commit to informing this committee if you determine that these operations are not militarily effective?
Admiral Holsey: Yes, Senator.
Senator Warren: Alright. You know, we also need to know if the operations are having an unmanageable impact on readiness or morale. Political stunts like this can easily damage troops morale. Many Texas National Guard members who deployed to the southern border have felt isolated, without purpose, and some have even committed suicide. I think it is important that we have better oversight over these plans and that we make these plans conform to the law. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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